Make them redo it. Even if they put a lower shelf for your wife... once she puts her leg up there to shave, her shin will be banging into the shelf above if they don't remove it. Most shower shelves I've seen are either made purposely to coordinate if not match. It depends on what kind of stone/tile you have.

1) no, they can't.

2) It depends on the tile used. If you're using thru body color porcelain, it's relatively easy to do. If it's anything else, it's a bad idea, because the edge will look terrible, and depending on the tile, it may not even be strong enough. As for the shelves they're using, there are only a couple of colors-- white and bone. Pretty much cut and dry.

All that said, I agree with remodelfla. This should be redone, but not that the shelf should be moved down. it should be removed completely. Those corner shelves are not made to put any real weight on. for that you want something like the betterbench. It's an aluminum tray that sits on the edge of the tile, gets bolted to the wall, filled with mortar, and then tiled. THAT, you could put your weight on and not worry about it breaking, and end up cutting yourself badly. Here's a pic of it installed:

Here is a link that might be useful: Innovis Better Bench

Thanks for the replies.

Regarding #1, I understand the bench would be best, but that would be a change order and $$$. My wife used the corner shelf in our previous house with no problem; she understands it is not meant for full weight. Our thought was not to add another shelf below the existing, but add the correct lower corner shelf in the opposite corner. Are you saying they can't do that now? I saw a posting on that other tile site detailing making a kerf saw cut into the tile and adding the shelf. Is that not a "good enough" solution to this problem recognizing that it is not ideal?

Regarding #2, Bill I'm not sure I follow you. If they can't add a shelf in #1, how is replacing it in #2 "relatively easy"? Are you saying that they cannot "match" the tile color as our only options are white or bone?

Thanks for your help.

If you're not using thru body color porcelain, that's about it.

I'm sorry-- there IS one other possibility-- They make epoxy corner shelves made to look like tumbled stone. Here's a picture of them:

One other thing you might think about (although this will also be more money) is to ask your countertop guy if he has anything left from the slab your vanity top was made from, and if he does, have him make a corner shelf out of that. This is something I do on a normal basis-- any shelves and the curb top get made out of the same stone as the vanity top. it brings everything together.

Bill,

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I have two follow ups, if you will indulge me one more time.

1. Your picture of the grey shower are the type of shelves they installed in the hall bath, although our tile is a very light grey-white with blue-grey swirl so the contrast is not so stark. I take it this is a standard/common shelving solution in tiled showers regardless that I don't like it?

2. If I get him to make the shelf out of the vanity stone, how does it get attached to the existing tile? The procedure I noted in my reply above? Epoxy?

Thanks again for sharing your wisdom!

1) it IS standard, if you';re going to use corner she;lves. The choices are very limited.

2) Two tiles need to be taken out-- the two that will be above the shelf. The shelf then gets thinset buttered on the back edges (the two edges against the walls) and set on top of the tile edges beneath it. The top two tiles then get cut into the shelf.

Thanks, Bill, I appreciate your reply and insights.